Witness Riezky Aprilia Calls 90 Percent Of Prosecutor Questions In Hasto Case Similar To Saeful Bahri

JAKARTA - Former member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PDIP faction, Riezky Aprilia, stated that almost all questions raised by the Public Prosecutor (JPU) against him in the alleged bribery case for the management of interim replacement (PAW) for the accused PDIP Secretary General, Hasto Kristyanto, were similar to the question in the Saeful Bahri case.

Riezky Aprilia is known to have been one of the witnesses at the Saeful Bahri trial in a similar case that has permanent legal force or inkrah

The statement began when Hasto asked Riezky about the questions raised by the prosecutor being new or just repeating. Riezky also admitted that 90 percent of prosecutors' questions were not much different from the trial for Saeful Bahri.

"My long series (questions) exist, even if the new one is not as much as I am. However, the old series that just didn't exist," Riezky said during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Wednesday, May 7.

Then, Hasto again asked about the number of questions from the prosecutor which was the same as the Saeful Bahri case. That's when Riezky said about 90 percent.

"Yes, about 90 percent," said Riezky.

On the other hand, Hasto's attorney, Patra M Zen, claimed that the 8 witnesses who were summoned to be examined at the trial did not see and know the involvement of his client.

Therefore, the case that ensnared his client was considered only to recycle the KPK from the case that ensnared Saeful Bahri in the PAW bribery.

"That's what Mr. Hasto said from the start, by the legal advisory team This is a recycling case. But with different defendants," said Patra.

In the alleged bribery case, Hasto was jointly charged with advocate Donny Tri Istiqomah; the former convict of the Harun Masiku case, Saeful Bahri; and Harun Masiku gave money amounting to 57,350 Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp600 million to Wahyu in the 2019-2020 period.

The money is allegedly given with the aim that Wahyu strives for the KPU to approve the request for an interim replacement (PAW) for the Elected Legislative Candidate for the Electoral Region (Dapil) of South Sumatra (Sumsel) I on behalf of the Members of the DPR for the 2019-2024 period Riezky Aprilia to Harun Masiku.

In addition, Hasto was also charged with obstructing the investigation by ordering Harun, through the Aspiration House guard, Nur Hasan, to submerge Harun's cell phone into the water after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested members of the General Election Commission (KPU) for the 2017-2022 period Wahyu Setiawan.

Not only Harun Masiku's cellphone, Hasto is also said to have ordered his aide, Kusnadi, to drown his cell phone in anticipation of forced attempts by KPK investigators.

Thus, Hasto is threatened with a crime as regulated in Article 21 and Article 5 Paragraph (1) letter a or Article 13 of Law (UU) Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 65 Paragraph (1) and Article 55 Paragraph (1) 1 jo. Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.